Fires Within
by Sage-libra
Summary: Wolfram decides to put an end to his wretched jealousy. Yuuri reacts.
1. Chapter 1

Fires Within 1

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

What was worse, Gisela found herself musing one day, to be loved so desperately by someone you do not wish to hurt but do not love, or to be desperately in love with someone who wanted everything you had to offer, except that love?

She sighed as, partly hidden by the trees, she watched Wolfram von Bielefeld wander aimlessly through the palace gardens. His almost palpable misery saddened her. She had known him all her life. Wolfram von Bielefeld was a brat with a horrid temper, but he was also a deeply insecure young boy who needed love as much, if not more, than most people. Knowing his history had helped her come to understand the blond prince, and with that understanding came sympathy for the unenviable position Wolfram had found himself in.

Just this morning the whole castle had been treated to yet another scene between the Maou and the prince. Apparently, Yuuri had spent the night camping with Conrad, and Wolfram had been so consumed with jealousy that he had all but screamed the palace down with his wild accusations and jealous fury.

And Yuuri, pushed to the limit of his patience, had snarled back that he would happily spend the rest of his life camped with _anyone, anywhere_ rather than be forced to endure even another moment of Wolfram's ridiculous and unwarranted rants.

Even Gisela, learning about the whole incident from Günter, had cringed at the words that had spilled from the Heika's mouth. She could not begin to imagine the hurt that Wolfram would have felt at that point, but seeing how disconsolate he was now made her heart twist in empathy.

Gisela let out another sigh as she watched Wolfram stare unseeingly into space, too wrapped up in his own misery to notice her presence. For all the spoiled prince's habitual arrogance and infernal pride, he was fiercely loyal and honorable. It made Gisela's heart ache to see him so unhappy.

If only she could help him rein in his temper, she mused thoughtfully.

Wolfram knew he couldn't hide out in the garden forever. He had duties waiting for him. Duties to his soldiers and his king. His mouth tightened at the thought of Yuuri and his last words.

Logically he admitted he had pushed too far with his ranting, and the Maou had simply struck back. But Wolfram didn't doubt that Yuuri's words had had a grain of truth in them. The raven-haired boy really was sick of him and his jealousy.

But what could he do? Wolfram's throat tightened painfully. He _knew_ Yuuri would not have betrayed him with his own brother. He _knew _ it. But he simply couldn't fight the little voice in his head that whispered doubts. Doubts directed at himself.

Why should Yuuri be faithful to him? He had nothing to offer the king. He was hot-headed, impulsive, and obsessive. He had neither Günther's statesmanship nor Gwendal's military brilliance. He couldn't even equal Conrad in swordsmanship or kind nature. No wonder Yuuri viewed their engagement with appalled dismay and flatly refused to treat it with any degree of seriousness! He was the worst possible consort for Shin Makoku's Maou.

Wolfram's shoulders slumped disconsolately. If he had any pride at all he'd let Yuuri go. Just let him break the engagement and find someone more worthy of him.

_/But you love him…/_

So what? Wolfram jeered at himself. A fat lot of good that will do. Haven't you learned yet, you stupid idiot, that your love means nothing? It wasn't enough to keep your father from leaving. It wasn't enough to keep your mother from leaving. And it sure isn't going to be enough to keep Yuuri from leaving!

In the end, abandonment was all he knew.

He was alone. He was always going to be alone.

A sudden rustle cut into his dark musing, and he whirled around, hand going to the hilt of his sword.

"It's just me, Lord Wolfram," Gisela assured him with a tentative smile. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Wolfram drew into himself quickly. "You didn't startle me," he denied automatically. "I was just about to leave anyway," he muttered beneath his breath. He would have brushed past the healer, but her next words froze him.

"I want to help."

He bristled. "I don't need anyone's help," he snapped, temper flaring.

Gisela kept her voice determinedly soft. The blond prince was so skittish and on edge that she feared a wrong word would scare him away.

"You don't have to do anything," she said quietly. "Just listen."

Wolfram hesitated.

Gisela went on, "I know you hate fighting with Heika as much as he hates fighting with you. So why do you do it?" It took courage to stand there and meet the intense green stare that bore down on her. But she stood her ground. She knew the answer to her question, of course, but the important thing was, did he? And if he did, would he be willing to accept her offer?

After a moment, Wolfram let out a deep breath. "I can't help myself." It was a difficult admission at best, but for once the brat prince needed someone who would listen to him. "It's like –" he threw up his hands in a gesture of helpless bewilderment, "he gets this I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about-you-unreasonable-lout and my temper just blows up!"

Gisela nodded in total agreement. "Your temper is your worst enemy," she pronounced sagely. "It always has been."

Wolfram shrugged. Everyone knew that, he most of all.

"If only you could rein it in a little bit," Gisela suggested.

"You think I haven't tried?" Wolfram shot back disgustedly. "You honestly think I like being a shrew?"

"You can't help yourself."

Wolfram glared. "If you're mocking me…" He began hotly, already regretting the impulse to confide in Günter's daughter. Visions of the purple-haired advisor bouncing around with this tidbit made him see red.

"Maybe I can help."

The half-formed threats died instantly. "You can?" Hope sprang up, followed closely by distrust. "How?"

Gisela nodded. "I was going through one of the healing journals in the library, and it mentioned a way to treat patients with emotional difficulties. It helps them suppress strong emotion. Apparently it works very well with patients who need to er - relax." She paused. Now was not a good time to mention that it was a method applied to violent criminals and the hopelessly insane. "It could help you control your temper," She added brightly.

Wolfram stared at her skeptically. "How come I've never heard of this kind of healing before?"

"Not every healer can do it," Gisela told him just a touch smugly. "It requires a lot of power." And luck, she added inwardly.

"But you can do this?" Wolfram didn't doubt Gisela's power. She was one of the strongest healers ever born. But he couldn't deny a little trepidation at the prospect of entrusting himself so wholly to her.

Gisela nodded. "You don't have to decide now," she reassured him. "I just want you to know that there are ways to keep you from losing your temper prematurely and further damaging your relationship with the Heika."

The blond prince's mouth twisted. "Somehow, I doubt anything short of a miracle is going to do that."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?"

Would it?

Wolfram's pride protested loudly at the thought of changing himself to suit the wimp he called his fiancé. It was humiliating to even consider, since it presupposed that there was something wrong with him to begin with.

But if he refused Gisela's offer…

He _will_ lose Yuuri.

And that decided the matter.

He took a deep breath. "I'll do it, but –" he held up a warning hand. "I don't want anyone else to know about this." Bad enough that he was reduced to changing himself to stay in Yuuri's good graces, he could not bear the thought of broadcasting it to the whole kingdom. Besides, there was still a chance that Gisela would fail, and he would rather die than become a laughingstock.

-o0o-

Yuuri almost chose to take his supper in his room. He dreaded the awkwardness that was sure to pervade the mess hall the moment he and Wolfram met face to face. He dreaded it almost as much as he dreaded seeing the blond prince after this morning's fiasco. Which was why he had spent the whole day closeted in the study with Günter – a self-inflicted punishment in itself, in his opinion, rather than risk bumping into the prince and being subjected to silent accusations.

Admittedly, he had been provoked by Wolfram's hysterical jealousy. And it had been wholly unfounded, he told himself indignantly! Even if Conrad hadn't been very definitely involved with Yozak, Wolfram should have known him better. That he hadn't pained Yuuri more than he liked to admit. Still, he acknowledged reluctantly, his return volley had been a little extreme. Yuuri usually guarded his tongue better than that, but for some reason Wolfram had always been able to demolish his common sense as well as his easygoing façade.

So yeah, he almost decided to hide out in his room. Except, of course, that doing so would paint him a coward. A guilty coward at that. No doubt Wolfram would point to his empty chair and pronounce him guilty in absentia. And then Yozak might get ideas and _then_ he'd have problems. Besides, even if he could avoid Wolfram during supper he'd still show up in his bedroom. Yuuri grimaced inwardly. Better get it over with now. So he forced himself gloomily to trudge to the mess hall.

Wolfram's chair was vacant, but Yuuri knew better than to sigh in relief. No doubt he was somewhere sulking. For a moment he considered letting the brat prince be, but his guilt wouldn't let him. He knew he had hurt the other boy badly; the least he could do was apologize.

He was just about to get to his feet when Wolfram walked into the hall. Immediately, Yuuri's eyes flew to the other boy's face, trying to gauge the other's mood and the extent of damage he was likely to inflict. However, though slightly pale, Wolfram seemed almost calm, his eyes shuttered as he slipped into his place beside Yuuri. Without another word, he began eating.

To say that Yuuri was taken aback by the blond prince's unaccustomed silence would be an understatement. Convinced that this was just the quiet before the storm, he picked at his food, every sense on the alert for a caustic remark or holler that would indicate the beginning of another argument.

However, the meal passed in relative silence, broken only by Günter's attempts at conversation. All throughout Wolfram barely looked up from his plate, did not do so much as glimpse at Yuuri. Nor did he contribute to the conversation beyond monosyllables and grunts. And immediately after eating he rose to his feet, sketched a bow to Yuuri and walked out before anyone could stop him.

"Well, I think that went rather well." Günter piped up cheerfully.

'Well' was not the word Yuuri would have chosen. Wolfram's unnatural silence unsettled him, raising warning bells at the back of his mind. He almost preferred the loud arguments they used to have to the uneasy peace.

"At least he wasn't blowing off at everyone." Gwendal opined dryly.

"Ano…" Yuuri searched for words to convey his uneasiness.

"Maybe Lord Wolfram's finally maturing into a true nobleman as befitting his station!" Günter beamed, determinedly optimistic.

"And pigs fly." Yuuri muttered beneath his breath. He glanced at Conrad, who sported a slight frown. "Conrad?"

"I don't know," the swordsman mused quietly, "there's something off about him tonight." He sent the Heika a small smile. "Maybe you can sort it out privately. Later."

Yuuri blushed. He knew most everyone believed that he and Wolfram were intimate, especially since the beautiful blond prince shared his bed at night. But that was _all_ they shared. He wasn't even totally comfortable with their engagement yet to consider taking that step.

Not that Yuuri didn't find his fiancé attractive. Hell, he thought darkly, no one should have that kind of beauty. It was damned distracting. He found himself thinking of Wolfram at the oddest moments. The blond had even taken to invading his dreams! His cheeks burned and he hastily cut that train of thought off.

However, later, outside his door, he found himself inexplicably nervous. Visions of Wolfram in his pink nightgown danced before his eyes. No doubt the prince was already in bed, either fast asleep or waiting to give him a piece of his mind. He groaned as something inside him tightened.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he turned the knob and resolutely opened the door, eyes going straight to the bed.

Empty.

He blinked.

Empty.

He scanned the room and after ascertaining that indeed, Wolfram was not in it, he debated silently whether or not to go in search of the brat prince. Finally, he decided against it. That Wolfram was plainly avoiding him meant that the other boy had still not forgiven his thoughtless words. Discretion might be the better part of valor.

Well, he told himself, at least he'll have his bed all to himself. For once. And no one to crowd or kick him off it.

"Brat," he muttered to himself as he got ready for bed.

And yet, lying there, sleep eluded him. It felt strange, being alone. Cold, even with warm blankets. He tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position. But to no avail. Finally, a restless and frustrating hour later, he admitted to himself that he missed his bedmate.

He missed Wolfram. His warmth, his nearness, hell, even that ridiculous pink nightgown. He had grown used to having the smaller boy beside him. Had become accustomed to the other's scandalous pronouncements and insistence.

He sighed, staring around him morosely. He was truly in a fine mess this time. Henpecked and nagged with Wolfram, but lonely and discontent without him. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

The hell with it, he decided, he was going to have to talk to the blond tomorrow. He'd apologize, he decided a tad guiltily. He glanced around, feeling a little lost in the huge room, and sighed forlornly.

He missed his fiancé.

-o0o-

In his room just down the hall from the king, Wolfram lay silently on his bed, his eyes staring reflectively at the ceiling.

It had not hurt at all, he mused to himself. He couldn't quite remember what Gisela had done. He had the impression that it had involved Gisela talking a lot, but at the end of it he had indeed felt much better. The crushing weight had left his chest, his mind had cleared, and he had seen clearly how disgraceful his behavior had been to the Heika. Shameful, he had chastised himself quite severely.

Forcing himself upon the Heika, appropriating his bed, nagging him in public…the list went on and on. Wolfram shook his head, unable to believe how low he had stooped in his desire to have someone who belonged wholly to him. Unable to believe how naïve he had been to even think that he was worth Yuuri's attention, much less his devotion.

Still, he went on, the engagement was a fact, even if it was a mistake. Until the time Yuuri saw fit to end it, it was his duty to be as accommodating and helpful as he could. And if that meant keeping out of Yuuri's way unless specifically called for, well then, that was what he would do. He'd been neglecting his duties enough in his insane jealousy.

He had begun his self-appointed makeover during supper, and he thought it had gone quite well. Yuuri had seemed relieved that he had not flown into another of his rages, and Gwendal had even at one point nodded approvingly at his reticence. Very well then, he told himself determinedly, let tonight bear witness to the new Wolfram von Bielefeld.

-o0o-

Breakfast the next morning was a tense affair for Yuuri. He'd woken early from a restless night, but pride wouldn't let him go in search of Wolfram immediately. Instead he had loitered around his room until it was time for breakfast.

Wolfram was already seated and eating when he arrived. He glanced up upon Yuuri's arrival nodded in greeting, but had gone right back to eating.

Yuuri couldn't help but stare at his fiancé in bewilderment. The blond prince seemed to be normal enough, and yet he was not acting normally. He sensed no hostility from him; he wasn't sulking, sullen, or peevish as was his wont whenever they'd quarreled the previous day. In fact, Wolfram was acting as if everything was perfectly alright! That in itself weirded Yuuri out, it was so unlike him!

Just then Günter bounded into the room and with his usual enthusiasm, enveloped the king into a good morning hug. It was a move guaranteed in the past to start Wolfram ranting, and Yuuri braced himself with an inner cringe.

However, apart from a momentary upward glance, Wolfram said nothing. Instead he turned to Gwendal and began discussing the day's training schedule, his manner intent.

Gwendal's eyebrow quirked at his youngest brother's extraordinary demeanor, but nevertheless responded to the queries with his usual aplomb.

Conrad was frowning as he stared in confusion at his brother. There was no way Wolfram could have watched another person hugging his betrothed and not react violently. But that was exactly what had happened. His frown deepened, wondering a touch wildly if Wolfram had somehow bumped his head in the night and suffered an amnesia in which he had forgotten his relationship with Yuuri.

"Wolfram, are you feeling alright?" He asked diffidently at a break in the discussion.

Wolfram turned to him, blinking. "I'm fine. Why?"

"You're acting rather – strangely." Conrad said carefully, mindful of the myriad of expressions chasing each other on Yuuri's face. "Normally by this time you'd have threatened Günter to within an inch of his life."

Wolfram shrugged. "As long as Heika doesn't mind, I don't think it's any of my business. It's not like we're married or anything." And he went right on with his discussion with Gwendal.

"We _are_ engaged, you know." Yuuri spoke without thinking, unexpectedly hurt that Wolfram had relegated their relationship to close to nothing, judging from his indifferent tone. And just yesterday he'd been breathing fire at him for spending time with someone else!

For the first time, Wolfram turned to speak to him. His green eyes, usually flashing with either annoyance or anger, was utterly calm. "It's only a formality, Heika." He replied matter-of-factly. "I'm sure that once everything settles down we can dispense with it."

Heika. Wolfram had never called him that, Yuuri realized. And that he did now was both disappointing and unsettling. Staring blankly at the blond prince as the latter's words sank in, he suddenly felt as though the ground beneath him had yawned open. Never, in his wildest dreams, had he expected to hear that disavowal from the blond. That he did now caused a queer little ache to blossom around his heart.

-o0o-


	2. Chapter 2

**Fires Within 2**

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

Two weeks.

Two weeks of near-serenity in the castle, of Wolfram not once losing his temper or raising his voice, of not having his fiancé declaring his rights at the drop of a hat, of having his bed all to himself, and Yuuri was beginning to go stir-crazy.

On one hand he knew he should be glad that Wolfram was being amazingly even-tempered. He knew he should be relieved that the blond prince was no longer bothering him day and night. In fact, Wolfram had put all his energy into training the soldiers and helping in the running of the kingdom that Yuuri never could seem to pin the soldier down to a private conversation. He was always off patrolling, training, or speaking to one dignitary or the other. He even skipped mealtimes, preferring to eat in his room or a sandwich while poring over endless reams of documents in the library.

Günter was thrilled that the young noble had suddenly turned into a responsible nobleman.

Gwendal was relieved that his youngest brother seemed to have outgrown his temperamental ways.

And Yuuri…

Yuuri knew he should be dancing with glee. But he wasn't. All he felt was an overwhelming sense of loss.

What were the odds, he thought morosely, that an alien had taken over his fiancé? Because no matter how he looked at the calm and downright amicable boy who sometimes deigned to join him during mealtimes, he could find no trace of the prince he had come to – know.

Yuuri would never admit it out loud, but he missed the mercurial prince. More than he thought was possible.

The only consolation in the whole situation was that he wasn't the only who found Wolfram's sudden change disturbing.

Wolfram was too calm. Too even-tempered. Too cooperative.

"You feel it too, don't you?" A quiet voice broke into his thoughts.

Yuuri glanced up from the page he had been trying to read for the last hour to meet Conrad's worried gaze. With a sigh, he gave up the pretence and put the book down.

"Yeah." There was no need to elaborate. He bit his lip. "Has he ever acted like this before?" He asked hopefully. Maybe Wolfram had these Jekyll and Hyde episodes and one day they'd wake up and he'd be back to normal?

Conrad shook his head. "Even when he was a child Wolfram could never learn to contain his feelings. He felt things too deeply, whether it's joy, anger, or sorrow. His passion is as intrinsic to him as your optimism is to you. Without it he wouldn't be who he is."

And, in a nutshell, that was exactly what was wrong with his fiancé. This Wolfram was all wrong because he had none of the fire and passion that had characterized him in the past.

"So what happened to him?" Yuuri burst out, flinging himself out of his chair and beginning to pace. "One day he's breathing down my neck and the next he's cold as ice! I – " he swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I don't like it." He whispered.

Conrad let out a deep breath. While it gratified him to see that Yuuri did care about his youngest brother, the knowledge did little to ease his concern over the sudden change that had come over Wolfram.

"Maybe he realized that all his ranting and jealousy wasn't doing your relationship any good." He theorized. "Maybe he's really trying to change for the better."

"I didn't ask him to change!" Yuuri protested.

"But you couldn't stand his jealousy and rages." Conrad pointed out. "Everyone knows that."

Yuuri opened his mouth to challenge the claim, then closed it again as the truth shamed him. Conrad was right, he had always been very vocal about his feelings about the engagement, and even moreso where Wolfram's jealousy was concerned.

"But still," Conrad conceded, "this sudden turnabout is a cause for concern." He gazed at his king for a long moment. "You should talk to him."

"Me?" Yuuri squeaked.

Conrad nodded. "You're the reason he's undergoing these changes. You're the only one who can persuade him that it's unnecessary." If you want him to, was the thought left unsaid.

Yuuri contemplated the floor with a deep frown. In fact he had planned to talk to Wolfram immediately after their last fight. But Wolfram's sudden change had blindsided him. And now he could barely catch a glimpse of the very busy prince! A thought struck him, and he couldn't contain the flash of pain that speared through him.

"Is it possible that he's simply lost interest in our engagement, and that's why he no longer flies into these rages?" He queried uncertainly. After all, if Wolfram no longer feels anything for him, what would he be jealous of?

But Conrad was already shaking his head. "It isn't just you, Heika," he pointed out, "He hasn't lost his temper at anyone in two weeks, not even when an idiot for a trainee nearly skewered his during practice. It's unnatural."

Yuuri bit his lip. "You really think he'd listen to me?"

Conrad smiled. "You're his betrothed. Of course he will." The smile widened. "At worst, as the Maou you can order him to listen."

-o0o-

Order him to listen. Yeah right.

Yuuri shifted uncomfortably as he waited for Wolfram in his study. He'd summoned the prince immediately after his conversation with Conrad, honestly scared that he'd lose his nerve if he delayed any longer.

"You called for me, Heika?"

Right voice, wrong tone. And Yuuri knew, really knew, at that point, that he could not take much more of it. Because there was something fundamentally wrong about Wolfram calling him Heika instead of wimp. And the formality made him want to break something. Anything.

This was wrong. So damnably wrong.

"Why do you call me that?" He hadn't meant to sound so angry, but he couldn't deny it. He _was_ angry.

Wolfram eyed him with a slight frown, taken aback by his testy tone. "Because that is what you are." He pointed out carefully.

"Not to you." Yuuri whispered in a voice that ached. "You've never called me that before."

A shrug. "I was wrong."

No, you weren't! Yuuri wanted to shout, but he clamped down on the words with a monumental effort. He drew a deep breath, fighting not to lose control and just shake Wolfram until the real one came back.

"I'm sorry." He got out finally.

"For what?"

Yuuri stared at the other boy, trying to convey his remorse and regret with his eyes. "I shouldn't have said those things. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yes you did." Wolfram countered matter-of-factly. "You don't have to spare my feelings, Heika. I know I had angered you with my unforgivable rudeness. You simply retaliated." He paused, then added as an afterthought. "I suppose you could say we're even."

Yuuri bit his lip. At this point he would much rather have a Wolfram biting his head off rather than calmly agreeing with him.

"You've been – different – lately." He said finally.

Wolfram nodded, waiting.

"You've been sleeping in your room." Yuuri couldn't prevent the color from rising to his cheeks.

"Ah." Wolfram's cheeks colored. "I realized that Günter was right. I have been acting presumptuously. An engagement does not give me the right to sleep in your bed. I should not have imposed upon you that way, especially when I knew you were uncomfortable with the situation." He bowed low. "I'm sorry for having acted so thoughtlessly."

Yuuri was at sea. Totally lost. How was it possible, he thought with dawning sorrow, that he could have lost the very thing he had not wanted in the first place? How was it that now that it was gone, he yearned for it with a fierceness that threatened to tear him apart?

"Heika?" Wolfram frowned with concern at his sudden pallor. "Is something wrong?"

Everything was wrong, Yuuri wanted to shout the words so badly he could feel his jaws cramping with the effort not to. I don't like it that you won't look at me the way you used to, that you won't care about me the way you did before, and that you won't even be near me the way you used to!

"I just want you to be the way you used to be," he got out finally, risking a look at his fiance's face and feeling his heart sink at the genuine bewilderment he saw there.

"But you don't like the way I used to be." Wolfram reminded him with puzzled honesty.

"That's not true!" Yuuri protested hotly.

"Oh really?" Wolfram cocked his head with interest. "What part of me did you like? The part that hurled wild accusations every other day or the one that rained insults at you every other hour?"

Yuuri stared at him. How could he tell the other boy that yes, he did miss those very things. That he missed everything about his irrational, mercurial, unpredictable fiancé!

Wolfram lifted a hand to massage his forehead. "Heika, I realize that you're trying to be nice." His tone was low. Weary. "You don't have to try to make me feel better." He shrugged, "I know you didn't mean for us to get engaged. That it was an accident. Nevertheless, it is done now, and until you decide to break the engagement we are stuck with each other." The green eyes lifted to pin him. "I won't deny that in the past I have been unreasonable. However, I realize now that this whole mess isn't really your fault." He took a deep breath. "I promise you that you will no longer have to bear with my unwarranted jealousies and temper tantrums. I was wrong to treat you that way and I will change. And if you decide to end it I want you to know that I will respect your decision. I have not forgotten my promise to you. I will remain loyal no matter what."

Yuuri listened to his words, and it was like listening to a stranger. This was not Wolfram. This beautiful, humble, loyal soldier was not his Wolfram.

"What happened to you?" The words were torn from him.

"I grew up." Wolfram stated simply. He frowned slightly. "I thought you would be glad."

Glad? To have the boy he had grown to love turn into someone he barely even recognized?

…the boy he had grown to love…

"Heika?" Concern deepened in the dulcet tones.

"Stop calling me that!" Yuuri exploded, unable to take any more. "Just stop it! Stopitstopitstopit!" He staggered back, away from the source of the pain that wrenched at his heart.

Wolfram gazed at him, aware that somehow he had upset his fiancé – again – and not knowing how to appease him. The throbbing in his head that had begun shortly into the interview was now a painful drumming.

"Do you want me to call Conrad?" He offered finally. His brother had always been able to calm Yuuri down. Maybe he was the better choice for a companion at the moment.

Yuuri stared at him, at a loss. He had never thought to see the day that Wolfram would willingly step aside for his brother. _I want you. _"No," he whispered brokenly, "Just – go."

Wolfram stared at him uncertainly. "I'm sorry if I've upset you." It seemed the only appropriate response.

"GO!" Yuuri stared at the closed door long after Wolfram had left, wondering at the irony of it all. Just when he's realized how he truly felt about the blond prince, the latter changed into someone he thinks Yuuri can love.

_/Wolf/_

-o0o-

Wolfram was near staggering by the time he reached Gisela's room. Barely able to see past the blinding pain, he all but hammered on the door.

"What the – Lord Wolfram!"

Wolfram allowed the girl to help him into the room and into a chair.

"Please - close the door." He got out through gritted teeth. He did not want anyone to see him so weak.

"What's wrong with you?" Gisela asked worriedly the moment she had secured the door. Wolfram's face was pinched and white with pain, his eyes were narrow slits, and his skin was clammy.

"My head -" Wolfram groaned.

Gisela immediately laid both hands around his temple, focusing her magic to ease the blond soldier's agony. It took a while, but after a moment the pain melted away and Wolfram's body relaxed, slumping into the seat, eyes closed. The healer drew back, eyes scanning the boy critically.

"Better?" She queried softly.

Wolfram nodded, keeping his eyes closed in blessed relief.

"How long have you been having these headaches?" She suspected, from his manner, that it had been quite a while.

"On and off for the past two weeks." Wolfram replied after a moment.

"And are they always this bad?" Gisela was appalled. It took quite a lot to make Wolfram admit to needing help. He would have had to have been near-agony each time!

"No." Wolfram let a wry smile touch his lips. "Sometimes they're worse." Those were the times he'd missed meals, opting to curl in his bed and suffer in silence.

"Lord Wolfram-" Gisela bit her lip in concern and exasperation. "You idiot! Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

A shrug was the only response.

"So why now?"

"Yuuri summoned me in the library. By the time the interview was over I realized that I could not make it back to my room." Wolfram admitted quietly.

"Sweet Shinou…"

Green eyes opened to gaze at her. "Can you make it go away for good?"

Gisela shook her head. "Aside from these headaches, there's nothing wrong with you physically. There's nothing to cure."

"So why do I feel as though someone's trying to split my head with a wooden staff?" Wolfram queried after a moment's thought. The old Wolfram would have ranted at the impossibility of being pronounced perfectly healthy when he had all but collapsed in agony a few minutes ago. But then he was no longer that person. The new Wolfram waited patiently for answers.

Gisela lifted her hands in a gesture of helplessness. "My lord, a headache is a way by which the body tells us it is suffering from within. It's a warning you shouldn't ignore. I can grant you temporary relief, but to make it go away you're going to have to find the source." She took a deep breath. "Your headaches started after 'the cure', didn't it? Maybe if we reverse it…"

Wolfram was already climbing to his feet and straightening his uniform. "That is not an acceptable solution."

"But these migraines-"

"-are a small price to pay for peace." Wolfram finished for her.

"But is that what you really want?" Gisela argued, recalling the dismay and sadness in the eyes of the people around them. People who gazed at Wolfram and sought the one they had known. People who, despite their protestations about his volatile temperament, now longed for a glimpse of it. But most of all, she recalled the desperate yearning in Yuuri's eyes whenever they alighted on the blond swordsman. The Maou had even gone to the extent consciously flirting with other people in an attempt to provoke Wolfram's now non-existent temper.

_/Is that what you really want/_

Wolfram paused in the act of straightening his sleeves, contemplating the question. What he wanted. But he didn't really want anything anymore. To want something was to feel strongly about it, and he had gotten rid of those feelings two weeks ago.

"I wanted it enough to take the 'cure', didn't I?" He countered at last, grasping at the last strong desire he recalled before he had 'changed for the better'.

"What have I done?" Gisela whispered when Wolfram had left to attend to his duties, the enormity of what she had done finally sinking in. The 'cure' was supposed to suppress his jealousies, to rein in his temper. To help him. But instead it had taken the one thing that had characterized Wolfram, and in the process turned him into an automaton.

It had taken his passion.

-o0o-


	3. Chapter 3

**Fires Within 3**

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

Several days later, Gisela found herself ruing that 'cure' with renewed intensity as she worked feverishly to heal Wolfram's wounds. Just that morning, Wolfram had led a squad on patrol and had met an ambush.

It was a minor skirmish, really, and one that the blond soldier should have been able to settle with little difficulty, especially when one takes his powerful fire magic into account. Ordinarily Wolfram could have taken them on without a problem.

Instead Wolfram had suffered a serious stab wound to the arm, aside from numerous cuts and bruises. Although not life-threatening, the arm injury was serious enough to warrant her full attention.

"You could have lost this arm, you know." She told him grimly.

"I didn't." Wolfram pointed out , shaken by the near-tragedy but still able to retain a modicum of calm. He was really not in the right frame of mind to argue the point. He was too busy replaying what had happened, trying to make sense of it.

His magic had failed. There was no going around it. He had summoned the fire, and it had failed him. Shock had immobilized him and his squad for a precious second, and that had given the bandits enough time to wound him. In the end though, his own skill with the sword had prevailed and he had routed them handily enough.

"Gisela…" He began, when a sudden commotion outside interrupted him. The door flung open and Yuuri stood there, dark eyes zeroing on his bloodied prince. Gwendal trailed closely behind him, his visage a dark cloud. Wolfram sighed inwardly. He had been hoping to present himself to his oldest brother for an accounting after cleaning up. Now Gwendal wasn't going let him brush the whole incident off.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri was beside him instantly, hands roaming his sore torso, his first instinct to ascertain his fiance's well-being.

Wolfram stiffened at the totally unexpected sensation. He could not recall Yuuri ever voluntarily or knowingly touching him so intimately. He edged away discreetly, but to his surprise Yuuri's hands simply followed. Unwilling to embarrass the king by creating a fuss, he endured the inspection with as much calm as he was capable of mustering. His eyes met Gwendal's over Yuuri's head. His heart sank. "It's just a scratch." He said , trying, with little hope of succeeding, to trivialize the entire affair. His head was starting to hurt again, adding to his discomfort.

"Gisela?" Gwendal directed his eagle gaze on the healer, who sent Wolfram an apologetic look before speaking.

"The cut went deep, tearing muscle and flesh, and he lost a lot of blood. I've healed the wound, but he will need to rest for a day or two before resuming his duties."

Gwendal's mouth tightened ominously as his eyes swiveled to his youngest brother. "A scratch?" He repeated derisively.

Wolfram shrugged, then winced slightly as the movement jarred his arm. Immediately Yuuri was there, touching his shoulder and looking very worried. "What happened?" He asked.

"I miscalculated." Wolfram confessed frankly. "I waited too long before using my magic. Let them get too close."

"And it failed." Gwendal finished for him, his tone flat. The squad lieutenant had wasted no time reporting to him, but in his incredulity he had wanted to hear it from Wolfram himself. His eyes had become troubled. It was unheard-of for their magic to fail. Not when the wielder was alive and whole.

"It failed." Wolfram acknowledged.

"But how could that happen?" Yuuri demanded. "You weren't anywhere near esoteric stones, were you?"

Wolfram shook his head. "These were ordinary bandits preying on rich human noblemen. We'd received several complaints about that trail. That was why I decided to check it out. They hadn't been expecting us, they wouldn't have had the foresight to prepare."

"No esoteric stones, and not anywhere near human lands. So why did your magic fail?" Gwendal's tone was pointed. He did not like mysteries.

"I don't know yet." Wolfram repeated patiently. "It's never failed before."

Yuuri stared at him. Looking at the blond, there was nothing on his features to indicate that his magic failing was of any great concern. He simply looked – worn out. His gaze shifted to Wolfram's wound, now healed, and his stomach clenched. If Wolfram had encountered a skilled swordsman instead of a buffoon, he would have been seriously injured, even -, he swallowed.

"Try again." Gwendal ordered, stepping back.

Wolfram blinked at the peremptory order.

"Gwendal!" Yuuri protested.

"I want to see it." Gwendal said tersely. "Our magic is part of us, Heika. It isn't supposed to just disappear while we're still breathing."

Yuuri paled further as his meaning sank in.

Realizing that his brother was serious, Wolfram lifted his uninjured arm, centering himself. Bracing himself, he closed his eyes and concentrated.

Nothing.

Swearing beneath his breath, Gwendal stalked to a window. Focusing his own power, he gestured. Instantly, a tower of soil and earth rose to his bidding. Satisfied, he let go and the earth returned to rest. He turned back to Wolfram, who was now sporting a pained frown. "Why has your magic failed when mine hasn't?"

"I don't know, Gwendal." Wolfram repeated for the umpteenth time, his voice intensely weary. Gwendal's peremptory tone and strident voice actually made his the throbbing in his head worse.

Gisela had had enough. Wolfram's face was becoming more pinched by the second, and she didn't need magic to know that his head was aching again. However, mindful of Wolfram's reluctance to reveal his condition to the others, she couldn't actually do anything about it at the moment. But she could order rest and quiet for her patient.

However, just as she was about to open her mouth, Yuuri beat her to it.

"That's enough for now, Gwendal." He said firmly. "Wolfram's in no shape to worry about his magic." It didn't really matter to him. People had survived for centuries without magic all their lives. At worst he was just going to have to make sure the blond prince didn't endanger himself any further. What did concern him was the glazed look in Wolfram's eyes. Only his stubborn will was keeping the swordsman upright.

"He can stay here and rest." Gisela offered quickly, for which Wolfram sent her a grateful look.

"No!" For some reason, Yuuri did not like the look the two exchanged. He didn't like the fact that Wolfram seemed perfectly willing to remain in Gisela's care, nor was he comfortable with the eagerness with which Gisela had offered. There was something there, between the two of them. A mysterious bonding that he instantly distrusted. Dammit, he wanted that softening to turn in his direction! "_I'll_ take care of Wolfram."

Shocked silence followed his outburst.

"He's- he's my fiancé." Yuuri sputtered, flushing at the nonplussed stares. "I can take care of him. Besides," he went on, gaining confidence as the perfect excuse struck him. "I don't trust him not to go back on duty the minute our backs are turned."

"I don't think Wolfram's going to be going anywhere anytime soon." Gwendal remarked dryly. However, he knew better than to argue. He pinned his brother with a brooding stare. "I'll check with Günter. He might be able to turn something up." Then he was gone, leaving behind him an awkward silence.

Wolfram couldn't explain it himself. He should be thrilled that Yuuri apparently wanted to care for him. In fact, wasn't the whole object of the 'cure' to get closer to him? However, the pain in his head was growing harder to mask with every breath, and he simply didn't have to energy to deal with the confusing mix of emotions.

"You still have a lot of studying to do, Heika." He said finally, forcing himself to keep his voice steady. "Günter must be waiting for you even now. Go. I'm sure I can take care of myself just fine for a day or so." Anyway, he was quite certain Gwendal would have informed all the castle guards that he was not to be allowed outside until Gisela had pronounced him fit for duty. His oldest brother was nothing if not thorough.

"Shut up, Wolfram." Yuuri retorted quite firmly, albeit without heat. In fact, he was astonished at how much he looked forward to caring for the other boy. To be allowed to hang around him, without bothersome duties to lure the blond away, and without having to think of an excuse was a luxury in itself. "Come on, you look all done in." He gazed anxiously as the blond hesitated. "Ano, can you walk?"

Wolfram didn't know the answer to that himself. His vision was starting to swim.

"Wolf?" Yuuri's tone grew anxious.

Wolfram took a deep breath and got to his feet.

Yuuri cried out when the blond staggered and almost fell. Would have fallen had he not been watching closely and caught him around the waist.

"Lord Wolfram?" Gisela squeaked.

"I think - I'm going to have to stay here a bit longer after all, Heika." Wolfram got out faintly before his eyes rolled up to his head and he blacked out.

-o0o-

"Is he going to be alright?" Yuuri's query was directed at Gisela, but his gaze was glued to his fiance's pale face. He hadn't realized how much weight Wolfram had lost until he'd carried the blond prince to his – no, their – room. He'd been so light in his arms that it worried Yuuri all over again. Had the other boy been eating at all in the times he'd begged off dinner?

Gisela sighed as she composed her thoughts. Wolfram losing consciousness _was_ cause for worry. That his body had so easily succumbed to physical injury was indicative of his deteriorating condition, physically and emotionally.

"He needs to rest." She replied quietly. "He's all worn out."

"Yeah." Yuuri agreed softly, his tone softening.

"Heika," Gisela chose her words with care. "Wolfram's been under a lot of stress lately. He really needs taking care of."

Yuuri stiffened, catching the genuine concern in her tone. Thinking the healer meant to volunteer her services yet again and unable to explain the sudden surge of jealousy in his heart, he spun around to face her squarely.

"I'll take care of him." He said firmly, his tone just this side of a growl.

Taken aback by his sudden vehemence, Gisela retreated. "Alright, if Wolfram needs me, don't hesitate to call. I'll check on him tomorrow."

Not if he can help it, Yuuri thought to himself testily. He was more than capable of attending to whatever needs – he flushed – Wolfram would have.

After Gisela had left, Yuuri didn't hesitate to crawl into bed beside his fiancé. Propping himself up on one elbow, he contemplated Wolfram quietly. In repose and in spite of his pallor, the ex-brat prince was a vision to behold. Yuuri lifted a hand to smooth back golden tendrils from a smooth cheek. Wolfram stirred at the gentle touch.

"Shhh, rest, Wolf." Yuuri whispered tenderly. "I've got you."

A soft sigh escaped the prince and perhaps it was a trick of the fading light, but Yuuri thought the pink mouth lifted in a smile before Wolfram settled deeper into the mattress. Gazing at him, it hit Yuuri how many times in the past he'd had this same opportunity, only then he'd wasted them complaining about his space and discomfiture.

"I've been an idiot, haven't I?" He murmured. "All this time and I didn't realize how much I've come to rely on your presence in my life." He sighed, settling down beside the blond. "I've missed you, Wolf."

His gaze fell on Wolfram's injured arm and a surge of protectiveness swept through him. He would have to talk to Gwendal about tightening the security around the castle, he thought darkly, especially while Wolfram couldn't summon his fire magic. The blond was too proud and stubborn to relinquish his duties even with the handicap. No doubt he would be back on patrol the moment Gisela pronounced him fit.

And that was another concern. His brow furrowed. He'd never noticed Gisela having feelings for Wolfram. Not that he'd been paying attention, he acknowledged ruefully. He'd been scarcely aware of his own! He bit his lip, a stray thought making him sit up abruptly. All these weeks that Wolfram had kept to himself…He flushed red, his breath hitching at the thought. No, Wolfram wouldn't have gone behind his back. He was too proud to break his honor by being unfaithful to his betrothed. And yet Yuuri couldn't deny the possibility that the swordsman may have found consolation in the attentions of another, especially when his recent lack of jealousy was taken into account.

He almost growled, but swallowed the sound out of fear of waking the blond. Well, he decided angrily, all that was going to stop right now. He liked Gisela a lot, and he was grateful for the healer's help, but he had no intention of losing his fiancé to Günter's daughter. She was just going to have to find her own betrothed, because this one's taken!

A discreet knock on the door cut through his thoughts, and thinking that Gisela had come – again – to check on Wolfram, Yuuri scowled. With jerky movements, he got to his feet and silently stalked to the door.

"He's still sleeping!" He fairly hissed upon opening it by a crack, then caught himself at the surprise on Conrad's face.

"That's good." Conrad's surprise transformed into an indulgent smile. "I was just going to ask if you plan on joining us for supper."

"Oh." Yuuri glanced at the darkened skies outside, having lost track of the time.

"I can watch over Wolfram while you eat." Conrad offered kindly, sensing Yuuri's hesitation and guessing that the latter didn't want Wolfram to wake up alone.

Yuuri's eyes followed Conrad's gaze to the slumbering prince on his bed, his expression becoming tender. Conrad noted the change with a lightening of his heart.

"Nah, I'm not really that hungry." Yuuri said finally. "I think I'll just have an early night."

Conrad nodded and would have left when Yuuri thought of something.

"Ano – could you ask cook to send something up for Wolfram, though? Soup maybe?" Yuuri blushed at the surprise in Conrad's eyes. "He might wake up and get hungry." He finished a little lamely.

"No problem." Conrad assured him, touched by his thoughtfulness. "I'll have someone bring it right up." He smiled encouragingly. "It's a great idea, Heika."

Yuuri was still blushing when the grinning cook arrived with the soup, but inside he was feeling warm and fuzzy. He could grow used to taking care of Wolfram, he mused giddily as he settled in beside the blond prince. Staring sleepily at his fiancé, he sighed at the rightness of having him back in their bed. Feeling that all was right again in his world, he closed his eyes and slept.

-o0o-


	4. Chapter 4

**Fires Within 4**

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

Warmth. Comfort.

Wolfram sighed, snuggling deeper into the source of those welcome feelings. It had been too long since he had had a good night's rest, and he was reluctant to put an end to it. However, the blond prince had never been one to laze in bed once the sun was up, and with a sigh, he opened his eyes.

And blinked at the tousled dark head lying squarely on his chest.

Shock must have petrified his brain, because for one long moment, Wolfram couldn't decide whether he was awake or dreaming. Dreaming, he thought haphazardly, taking in the boy practically draped over him. His gaze swept the bed, the room. Yuuri's bed. Yuuri's room. Definitely dreaming, he concluded bemusedly. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand to touch the raven locks. Yuuri murmured something beneath his breath, and Wolfram froze. But the king simply shifted, his leg burrowing deeper between Wolfram's, causing the blond to sweatdrop.

Oh sweet Shinou, Wolfram thought, torn between his body's instant response and growing hysteria, he was so screwed. On one hand he wished he could freeze the moment. Make it last forever. On the other, Yuuri could wake up any minute and Wolfram just _knew _he'd freak out. Not to mention the warning twinge at the back of his mind.

But staring at his reluctant fiancé – or so he thought - something inside him stirred, and unable to help himself, in spite of the migraine that threatened, he stroked Yuuri's dark hair with a gentleness he'd never admit to having.

However, cure or not, his deeply-ingrained sense of honor would not let him take advantage of the slumbering king, no matter how much he wanted to. He sighed resignedly and shook Yuuri's shoulder.

"Heika."

Yuuri moaned and snuggled closer, burying his face against Wolfram's neck.

It was Wolfram's turn to groan then, as his burgeoning need flared to life, the throb of his body echoing closely the throbbing in his head.

"Yuuri!" He got out in a strangled voice, desperation leading him to call the king by his given name.

Responding as much to his name being uttered by the beloved voice as to the shaking, Yuuri stirred, the gray eyes drifting open slowly. Seeing him, they smiled. "Hi." He bid dreamily. He shifted sleepily, only to stiffen, shocked eyes flying to Wolfram's face.

Wolfram couldn't help but color to the roots of his hair. There was no denying his body's response to Yuuri's nearness.

It was only then that Yuuri realized just _how_ close he had gotten to his previously slumbering fiancé. His own face flamed, but he couldn't deny the thrill he felt at finally drawing a response from Wolfram. Thrill and a sudden surge of boldness. He grinned suddenly, further discomfiting the blond prince.

"Ah…ano…I –ah" Wolfram sputtered, eyes looking at everywhere but the boy practically on top of him.

"Yes, Wolf?" Yuuri drawled out rather smugly. It was so rare that he had the upper hand when dealing with his fiancé that he was quite understandably reluctant to relinquish it now.

Wolfram closed his eyes, shutting out the sight of smoldering dark eyes, struggling to regulate his breathing and control his unruly body.

Yuuri's breath hitched. Sweet lord, he thought faintly, he was just so adorable like this…flushed, out of control…he couldn't resist the impulse to push a little further.

"Feeling better?" He asked softly, ever-so-slowly leaning closer.

Wolfram's eyes snapped open, his brain belatedly registering the sudden nearness of Yuuri's voice. A second too late, as Yuuri's mouth landed lightly against his.

Wolfram felt one moment of exquisite pleasure before the pain exploded behind his eyes. He cried out, jerking back reflexively.

Yuuri stiffened in shock. He hadn't missed the softening of the lips beneath his, hadn't mistaken the yielding of the body he held. So what – he stared for one dumbfounded instant at Wolfram, who had curled around himself, his hands clutching desperately at his head.

"Wolf?" He queried, alarmed at the soft whimper of pain Wolfram emitted.

"My head…" Wolfram bit out through gritted teeth. "…hurts so bad…" Another groan and Yuuri was scrambling out of the bed. He was out of the door in seconds, down the hallway and pounding on Gisela's door. He didn't even think to try and heal Wolfram himself, panic driving all rational thought out of his head.

"Wolfram!" He gasped out when finally the healer opened the door.

To her credit Gisela didn't bother with useless questions. Rather she was running, Yuuri close behind her.

Upon reaching the cowering prince, Gisela quickly used her magic to ease the worst of the pain. "Rest, Wolfram." She intoned in that strangely compelling tone. "Rest."

Yuuri watched as the pain drained out of Wolfram's eyes and they fluttered close. With a sigh he was fast asleep.

Gisela made sure that the blond was comfortable before turning to Yuuri. "What happened, Heika?" She asked in a low voice.

The question caught Yuuri by surprise, and he colored.

"I-ah-well..we woke up…and…I, ah…we…"

"I need to know the truth, Heika, if I'm to figure out what's wrong with Wolfram." Gisela cut in, making an effort to curb her impatience. It had to have been pretty monumental to draw such a violent reaction from the swordsman.

Yuuri took a deep breath. He really didn't want to go into details, least of all with someone whom he suspected had a vested interest in keeping him and Wolfram apart. But on the other hand, he couldn't take the chance that his lack of cooperation would cause Wolfram's condition to worsen.

"We kissed." He mumbled in a low voice.

"What?" Gisela leaned closer.

"We kissed – that is – Ikissedhimandhewasstartingtokissmebackthenallhellbrokeloose." Yuuri wouldn't have minded if the ground opened up and swallowed him at that point. He didn't think his face could have gotten any redder!

"Oh." Gisela pinkened. She hadn't thought of that.

After an awkward silence, Yuuri took himself in hand and gamely swept self-consciousness aside. They were betrothed, he reasoned reasonably. They had every right – hell, it was even expected – to be intimate. That they hadn't been had been his choice. A choice he heartily regretted now. Besides, he chastised himself sternly, his embarrassment was of no concern right now. Wolfram was the one who needed help.

"What's wrong with him, Gisela?" He asked worriedly, no bravado or hostility now. He hadn't liked seeing Wolfram in so much pain. No, he had not liked it one bit, and he was prepared to do whatever he needed to do to prevent it from reoccurring. What was the use of having healing magic if he couldn't heal Wolfram? What was the use of being the Demon King when he couldn't even take care of his own fiancé?

"I think I know." Gisela told him, determined now to tell the truth. The cure had backfired. Was causing Wolfram pain and threatening his safety. And, she suspected, was completely unnecessary, judging from Yuuri's jealousy at her and concern for Wolfram. Taking a deep breath, she went on to tell Yuuri about the cure.

"You hypnotized him?" Yuuri was stupefied.

Gisela nodded. "He thought he needed help to curb his temper, and he was afraid his jealousy was going to drive you completely away."

"But that's crazy!" Yuuri exclaimed, only to flush at the skeptical look in Gisela's eyes. His eyes fell on Wolfram's sleeping countenance. "I wouldn't want to change anything about him." He said softly.

"And you realized that before or after you almost lost him?" Gisela challenged boldly, causing Yuuri's flush to deepen. However, after a moment, she softened. It really wasn't the Heika's fault. He'd been thrust into a strange world, hadn't had a chance to adjust before he was thrust into yet another strange situation, one that he had had no preparation at all for. "Anyway," she went on, changing the topic. "I think suppressing his temperament inadvertently affected his magic."

"How?" Yuuri asked, more concerned for the blond swordsman than anything. Wolfram needed his magic. It was as much a part of him as his arm. If he lost it on Yuuri's account the boy wasn't sure Wolfram would ever forgive him. Or that he'd ever be able to forgive himself.

"Wolfram's magic is fire. And fire feeds on passion. Without passion, there is no fire." Gisela explained simply.

"And these headaches?" Yuuri frowned.

"I suppose it's his mind's way of protecting him from the resurgence of strong feelings." Gisela reasoned. "It built a firewall to prevent him from feeling anything remotely close to passion. That barrier manifests itself as a migraine." She glanced pointedly at the king. "Come to think of it - it's only when he's close to you that his migraines get really bad."

Yuuri winced at the pointed observation. "Can you undo this hypnosis?" He asked quietly.

Gisela hesitated, then nodded.

"Then do it. Please." Yuuri pleaded, but the healer was already shaking her head.

"I can't do that."

Yuuri stared at her. "Why not?"

"Wolfram chose to undergo the cure because he believed you wanted him to change." Gisela said coolly. "I won't undo the cure unless he agrees to it."

"Of course he'd agree!" Yuuri raked a hand through his hair. "Why wouldn't he?"

Gisela shrugged. "I asked him a few days ago, he said peace was worth the sacrifice."

Yuuri gaped at her.

Gisela stood. "Heika, Wolfram didn't believe you could love him as he was before the cure. And unless you can persuade him otherwise, he wouldn't want to reverse the cure." She smiled, patting his arm. "I guess if you really want the old Wolfram back, you're going to have to prove that you do love him. The old him."

-o0o-HeHHhhhkdfjdksfjd skffdf


	5. Chapter 5

Fires Within 5

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Response to Reviewers: Thanks for the wonderful reviews  I'm glad you're enjoying this fic. It's my first for this fandom, but it may not be my last, judging from my affection for this pairing. Sorry for the delay in updating.

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

"We need to talk."

Wolfram eyed his fiancé with trepidation. Yuuri had been acting strangely since he'd woken. Quiet and somber, even grim. And now, after making sure that Wolfram was comfortably propped against the pillows, he seated himself, cross-legged, exactly one foot away.

Yuuri took a deep breath. There were so many things he wanted to say to the green-eyed boy. So many things he needed Wolfram to understand. Things he needed to get out of the way before they could move on. Together.

But –

First things first. He needed to know if what Gisela had said was true. Was he – unwittingly – causing Wolfram's debilitating headaches? And if that was the case, what was he going to have to do? How was he going to help Wolfram? He needed to know the answer to that. Desperately. Because there was no way in hell he was going to stand by and watch Wolfram hurt.

No way.

"It wasn't your fault." He blinked. Wolfram was already one step ahead. The prince didn't have to be a mindreader to understand what lay beneath the grim, guilty look on the Maou's face. Yuuri had kissed him and his migraine had attacked. Ditto – Yuuri had somehow caused Wolfram's migraine. It was a simple equation, really.

Except that it wasn't.

"I've been having these – headaches – for weeks." Wolfram went on honestly. "It wasn't anything you did." His cheeks pinked.

Yuuri stared at him. "So – your headaches aren't because of me?"

Wolfram shook his head. It was the truth, he reasoned. His headaches were because of _his _reaction to Yuuri, not Yuuri himself. Therefore, there was something wrong with _him, _not the Maou. It made perfect sense to him.

Yuuri frowned. It didn't make any sense to him. He gazed at the green-eyed boy opposite him, strongly tempted to tell him that he knew about the 'cure'. But he didn't. There were lots of things he didn't understand about this strange new world he had inadvertently become ruler of, but he did understand one thing after talking to Gisela – no matter how adept he was becoming at being king, as a fiancé he was an abject failure.

A failure because even after all this time and everything they had been through he had failed to earn Wolfram's trust.

Oh, the blond trusted him with his life and the lives of everyone in Shin Makoku. No argument there.

But not with his heart.

That, in a nutshell, was why the swordsman was so insanely jealous all the time. He didn't trust Yuuri not to hurt him. Nor did he trust Yuuri to love him as he was, or he wouldn't have taken the 'cure'.

The knowledge hurt. Hurt because Wolfram had been right not to trust him. Looking back, Yuuri was forced to acknowledge that he had never given the blond reason to trust him. From the very beginning of their relationship he had been resistant to the idea of their engagement. He had never hidden his dismay at the very idea! Nor had he ever attempted to get to know the blond beyond the boundaries of friendship. He hadn't even tried to allay Wolfram's fears and insecurities. Instead he had labeled the blond's rantings as simple histrionics.

Was it any wonder that Wolfram had resorted to something as drastic as Gisela's 'cure'?

Yuuri took a deep breath. He was a straightforward person by nature, so his first instinct was to simply tell Wolfram about his feelings and persuade the other to discard the 'cure'. But Gisela had strongly cautioned against it.

"_He wouldn't believe you, Heika," the healer had stated bluntly. "He would think that what you really feel is pity. And that," Gisela had emphasized, "will be the end of whatever relationship you may have had with Lord Wolfram."_

That was one risk Yuuri was not willing to take. He was not going to lose Wolfram to his own stupidity.

"Alright." He said, changing tactics in the face of Wolfram's obduracy. There was more than one way to skin a cat, or to get a certain stubborn fiery demon back into his life. "So it doesn't affect you if we're," he gestured at the distance between them, "say, this far away?"

Wolfram hesitated, uncertain as to what the other boy was leading up to. But at a lifted eyebrow he shook his head. "No, I'm fine."

A bright grin crossed Yuuri's face. That solved the problem of keeping Wolfram in his bed. Next…

"What if I move closer?" He shifted slowly until they were sitting beside each other, watching Wolfram's face intently, alert for the slightest hint that his proximity was causing the other pain.

Wolfram had yet to figure out what Yuuri was trying to achieve. However, he had never known the gray-eyed boy to be devious, so he took the question at face value and shook his head again.

Yes! Yuuri wanted to crow. He'd at least be able to sleep at Wolfram's side!

"Great!" His smile turned wolfish. "And if I do this?"

'This' was a very warm hand on Wolfram's arm.

Wolfram swallowed. A slight throbbing was making itself felt along the side of his head. He should put a stop to whatever it was Yuuri was doing, but for the life of him, he couldn't tear his eyes off the slightly tanned hand along his arm.

"Wolf?" Yuuri prodded gently.

Mute, Wolfram shook his head yet again. The pain was bearable.

Yuuri took a deep breath. Slowly, carefully, he let his hand whisper up Wolfram's arm to his shoulder.

Wolfram shuddered, eyes flying to Yuuri's. And the expression there made his breath catch in his throat. Yuuri's touch was tentative. Gentle. But there was nothing uncertain in the glittering in his eyes. No, they were gleaming with determination.

He winced as the first pike hammered into his brain.

Yuuri caught the flash of pain and he immediately withdrew his hand. Regretfully, but deriving comfort from the knowledge that Wolfram wasn't totally immune to him. There was still hope.

And, he told himself with the return of his usual optimism, at least he knew just how far he could go without hurting the blond. It was enough, he decided. For now.

"It's okay, Wolf," he assured his fiancé with a smile. "we're okay."

Wolfram nodded in bemusement. He had absolutely no idea what the king was talking about. But he agreed anyway. Yuuri's smile was reason enough.

-o0o-

As the days went by Wolfram's bemusement increased. He couldn't remember ever being so confused. On the surface everything seemed normal enough, but it wasn't. More and more he felt as though he had woken up one day and the whole world had shifted and changed around him.

Or rather, Yuuri had changed.

Wolfram could feel his face heating, recalling their first kiss…An aberration – he told himself firmly. Or a dream. Because there was just no way Yuuri could be interested in him _that _way.

Or could he?

Since his injury Yuuri seemed to have transformed into another person entirely, at least where he was concerned.

The first inkling he'd had was when he'd attempted to move out of Yuuri's room. The Maou had ordered him to stay put. Had ordered it with a peremptoriness that was foreign to the generally amiable king. Wolfram still found it difficult to wrap his mind around that. Yuuri had been adamant about Wolfram staying in his room. Had insisted stubbornly that the bed was more than big enough for both of them, and that he had _every_ right to look after Wolfram personally. After all, the Maou had declared with a rare flash of possessiveness, Wolfram was _his_ fiancé. Even when Gisela had declared him fit to return to duty, Yuuri had pointblank refused to let him move back to his own room. And that was that.

Wolfram was willing to put down Yuuri's new attitude to concern. After all, the Maou considered him a friend, and as kind-hearted as he was, he no doubt wanted to bridge whatever gap had grown between them. Besides, he seemed genuinely worried about Wolfram, especially since the latter's magic had yet to return.

Put that way, it all seemed perfectly logical. Even reasonable.

But it hadn't stopped there. Yuuri had then made it a point for them to have their meals together. Apparently the raven-haired king had somehow gotten the notion that Wolfram hadn't been eating properly and was now determined to rectify the matter soonest. It was disconcerting, to say the least, since Yuuri seemed to spend more time watching him eat than eating himself.

And it wasn't only when they were eating that he'd catch Yuuri watching him. Quite often during the day, while Wolfram was busy with the trainees, he'd glance up and find Yuuri watching from one of the windows. Wolfram then reasoned that Yuuri was concerned that he was overextending himself. Fine. But that didn't explain the mornings. Sometimes he'd wake up to find the Maou up earlier, a rarity in the past since Wolfram had invariably risen earlier. But instead of being up and about the gray-eyed king would still be lounging beside him, greeting him readily with a cheerful, if slightly wistful grin. And though the gray-eyed boy refrained from any migraine-invoking gestures, on several occasions Wolfram thought he'd caught an unusual expression in the other boy's eyes. The old Wolfram would have called it lust, but the new Wolfram squashed the highly-improbable thought quite firmly. Yuuri had never shown any interest in boys. Anyway, Wolfram hadn't yet thought of a rational explanation for Yuuri's unusual behavior.

Nor for his sudden fits of jealousy.

Now that Wolfram's renowned temper had mellowed, more and more of his previously timid admirers were making their interest known. The women not only sighed from a distance, they actually crowded him whenever they caught him along the corridors. Wolfram took it all in stride, after all, he was used to being gawked at. So while it was a minor irritation, it wasn't enough to merit more than a shrug.

But one time Yuuri rounded a bend and caught Wolfram practically up against the wall, surrounded on all sides by simpering females. He had immediately stalked over and planted himself beside the blond soldier, his heated glare enough to send even the most ardent admirer on her way.

"Idiots!" He had fumed angrily as he had half-dragged Wolfram away. And when Wolfram had attempted to reason that the girls had not meant any harm, he had received such a furious scowl for his trouble that he had promptly shut up.

But –

What really confounded Wolfram was the almost overwhelming _niceness_ Yuuri treated him with. He almost invariably smiled when their eyes met. He was gentle, thoughtful, and eager to please. And he was always touching him – his arm, his hand. And always – always - with a grin that made Wolfram's insides shiver.

It made no sense at all!

Nor did it help that everyone except him seemed to be in on whatever it was Yuuri was doing, judging from the knowing smirks he was seeing on way too many faces.

Wasn't anyone worried at all at the Maou's unusual behavior? Hadn't anyone noticed?

"You're looking rather pensive."

Wolfram started guiltily. He'd well – hidden – in the gardens, needing to sort his thoughts. He sighed. Not that he was surprised. Conrad could find anything he put his mind to.

"I was just thinking." He mumbled.

"About the Heika." It wasn't a question. Sometimes Wolfram wondered if anything fazed Conrad at all, aside from Yozak of course.

He nodded.

Conrad nodded sagely, and he took a seat beside his younger brother.

"He's – different." Wolfram began, a little uncertain as to how to begin.

"In what way?" Conrad asked encouragingly, suppressing a grin at the almost identical complaint to the one Yuuri had voiced several days past.

"He's – nice – to me."

The confusion and uncertainty in his younger brother's voice wiped the humor from Conrad's heart. That Wolfram actually expected anything less than to be treated 'nicely' by his own fiancé drove home just how poorly Yuuri had handled their relationship previously. It pained him, because he knew how badly Wolfram needed someone to love him. The brown-haired swordsman squelched the urge to give his brother a comforting hug. It was rare enough that Wolfram would talk to him, he didn't want to jinx it by getting mushy.

"He cares a great deal about you," he said instead.

"He cares about everyone. He's the Maou." Wolfram's reply was automatic.

"But he doesn't share his room or his bed with everyone." Conrad pointed out, smiling when Wolfram blushed. "I think maybe he has finally realized the difference."

The green eyes widened, startled by the thought.

Conrad gave him a moment to absorb that, then went on carefully. "So how are you?"

"Bored." Wolfram replied promptly. "Gwendal still won't let me go on patrol." And even if Gwendal had agreed, Yuuri would have almost certainly vetoed it, they both knew. The Maou's almost obsessive need to keep Wolfram safe should have told the blond just how much he cared, Conrad thought privately.

"Not until your magic returns." The brown-haired captain concluded.

Wolfram shrugged. "If it returns."

Conrad cocked his head, brow furrowing slightly. "You don't sound very worried."

"I don't know why my magic's gone." Wolfram said with unarguable reasonableness. "Since I don't know how I lost it I really don't know how I'm going to get it back again."

Conrad pondered his response to that. While Yuuri had filled him in on the 'cure', he had also been sworn to secrecy. Not that Yuuri had had to do that. Conrad knew only too well how humiliated Wolfram would be if it became open knowledge how far he had gone to stay in the king's good graces.

"I think," Conrad replied carefully. "that sometimes we make sacrifices for something we think we want more. But there are times when we have to look back and decide if the sacrifice we made is doing more harm than good." At the confusion on his brother's face, he tried a different perspective. "We all make mistakes, Wolf. We think we don't want something when in fact it's really all we want, and we realize that mistake only when it's almost too late." He flashed the blond an encouraging smile. "Even kings make mistakes. But the important thing is that I think our king has realized his."

The only question is, the captain asked himself as he made his way down the corridor, did Yuuri realize his mistake before it was too late?

-o0o-

It was the same question Yuuri pondered as he gazed unseeingly at the pages he was supposed to be reading. Every so often, he glanced up at the clock, counting the minutes until lunchtime. Until he could see Wolfram again.

He sighed. On one hand he relished the time he spent with Wolfram. Just being around the beautiful boy lifted his spirits and made him smile. And to be able to do so without fear of Wolfram's admittedly sharp tongue helped him to be bold, to reach out of his comfort zone.

On the other hand…he sighed again.

He wanted more.

He wanted to hear Wolfram laugh again. To see those amazing eyes flash with real emotion. To hear his voice rise in anger or hilarity.

He wanted to be able to touch Wolfram without fear of triggering the blond's defenses. As much as he enjoyed waking up beside his fiancé, his newly-discovered feeling for the blond demanded more than just a flying kiss.

He wanted Wolfram's fiery nature. His passion.

_/…if you really want the old Wolfram back, you're going to have to prove that you do love him. The old him…/_

But how? It was the question he asked himself every waking moment. The same question he was going to keep on asking until he found an answer.

Because one way or another, he _was _going to get his Wolfram back.

-o0o-


	6. Chapter 6

Fires Within 6

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13 (may change)

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

"Again." The command was issued in a cold, implacable tone. A tone that belied the intensity of the gaze that bore on Wolfram.

Wolfram sighed. He was sweaty, dirty, and tired. They had been at this the whole morning.

'They' being him and Gwendal.

'This' being the attempt to bring out his magic.

Wolfram had known his oldest brother's intent the moment Gwendal had peremptorily collected him from the courtyard and brought him outside the castle. Here, surrounded by miles of open land, there was no chance of accidentally burning anything important - in the event that his magic ran out of control.

Granting, of course, that he could somehow summon it again. He hadn't been able to do so so far. Not in any of the attempts he'd made since the first time it had failed. He could have told Gwendal that, but he'd chosen to keep his peace. There was something in the set of his shoulders that warned the blond knight to play along. So he did.

However, after hours of focusing and attempting to do so, Wolfram remained unsuccessful. He had tried every technique he could think of, to no avail. And with each failure he grew more tired while Gwendal's temper stretched thinner.

"Again." Gwendal repeated.

"I've already tried a dozen times, Gwendal." Wolfram supplied matter-of-factly. "It's no use."

"Try again." Impatience laced the even tones. "You're not trying hard enough."

Wolfram weighed his brother's grim visage and sighed inwardly. With a shrug he lifted his hand. Focusing his will, he reached for the fire.

He could feel the magic, there, just slightly beyond his reach. However, when he tried to summon it, nothing happened. As though it wasn't his element to summon. He bit his lip. Frowned. Tried again.

But no matter how hard he called, the fire was unmoved. His call went unheeded. Wolfram's shoulder's slumped in defeat. The connection that had always flowed easily between them, his link to his element, was gone.

And so again, he failed.

He opened his eyes, swaying slightly on his feet. "It's there, Gwendal," he said, his tone heavy with weariness. "But somehow it just won't come to me."

"Try again."

Wolfram's jaw tightened. Gwendal had said little else since they started.

"It's not working." He repeated tautly. "Maybe tomorrow-"

"No!" Gwendal retorted forcefully. "This is not child's play, Wolfram. It's serious! Whatever you've done, you have to undo. Right now. You've danced around it long enough. No more excuses. No more reprieves. I want you to try again. Now."

If Wolfram had still had a temper, it would have flared then and there. Gwendal had always been a taskmaster. But he had never been unreasonable or bullish. Now he was being both. His mouth drew into a straight line.

"I told you - it's no good – aargh!"

Gwendal stared at his brother's sprawled figure, the aching of his fist nothing compared to the one in his heart. However, he refused to acknowledge that pain. Or the fear. Instead he took refuge in anger. Anger that shone like indigo fire out of his eyes as he glared at Wolfram.

" Get up!" He ordered. "Get up and try again!"

Wolfram stared at him, uncomprehending and just a little bit afraid. Gwendal had never blown up at him before. At least, not this way.

"What's the matter with you? " He asked, scrabbling back when Gwendal look turned positively murderous. "Why are you so angry?"

"Why?" Gwendal stared at him in patent disbelief. "Because, you idiotic _fool_, you aren't trying hard enough! You're holding back!"

"That's not true! I am not holding back!" Wolfram rose to his feet slowly, keeping his eye warily on his brother. "You've seen me try all morning. You know I've given it all I've got!"

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying!" Wolfram yelled back, at the end of his tether. "You think I _like _not being able to use my magic? You think I _enjoy_ being cut off like this?" He shook his head, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. Trying to fight back a familiar, if recently, missing emotion. Fighting anger with anger solves nothing, logic told him. Besides, the last thing he needed now was to pass out at his oldest brother's feet. "I've _tried_, Gwendal."

"Then try again!" Gwendal snapped. "You can't just give up!" He shook his head. "What's happened to you, Wolfram?" He demanded. "You don't like not being able to use your magic? You don't enjoy being cut off?" He snorted in disgust. "You seem perfectly happy the way I see it. You don't _look_ worried, and you sure as hell don't _act_ like it matters!" He pointed a finger at Wolfram's chest in dire warning. "I don't know what's going through your head, Wolfram, and I don't particularly care. I'm just sorry my youngest brother had somehow turned into a sorry excuse for a knight!" His mouth curled. "You're a failure, Wolfram von Bielefeld."

"Gwendal!"

They both started in surprise, not having noticed the arrival of Yuuri and Conrad. However, there was no ignoring the anger in Yuuri's voice, or the flash in his eyes as he pushed Gwendal away from Wolfram, planting himself squarely between his military commander and his fiance.

"Take it back!" Yuuri demanded angrily. Günter had kept him an hour longer with his studies, and when he had gone looking for Wolfram he had been informed that Gwendal had commandeered the blond knight. Thinking that his fiancé was safe under Gwendal's care he had taken his time with his studies before searching them out. However, had he had even an inkling that leaving Wolfram in Gwendal's care would result to the blond being subjected to abuse, he would have consigned his studies to hell! "Wolfram has never been, nor ever will be a failure. So I want you to take back what you said, Gwendal!"

"It's alright, Yuuri." Wolfram spoke up soothingly from behind him. "I've been called worse."

If he had hoped to calm Yuuri down with that tidbit, he failed miserably. "We'll deal with _that_ later." Yuuri assured him through gritted teeth, not budging an inch. "Right not I want _Gwendal_ to explain what he thinks he's doing. I saw him hit you, Wolf. And I heard him insulting you."

"Stop coddling him, Heika." Gwendal told him in a biting tone. "You're not helping matters by mothering him." The look he shot Wolfram was pure acid. "Do you think hiding behind the Maou can make you less of a failure?"

Yuuri heard Wolfram's pained gasp, and he snapped. His fist connected squarely with Gwendal's jaw, and the taller man's head snapped back from the force of the blow. But true to his training and stature as head of the army, he never flinched.

A stunned silence filled the clearing, silence broken only by the sound of Yuuri's labored breathing. The king stared at the older man, shocked by his own action. He shook his head, his obsidian eyes large in his face.

"It isn't his fault." He got out shakily. The blow had surely hurt him more than it had hurt the stone-faced commander, but it didn't compare to the hurt in Yuuri's heart. He hated violence of any kind, hated hurting another person, much less one he considered a friend. But Gwendal had gone too far. Yuuri would willingly bear the insults to himself. But not to Wolfram. His fiancé didn't deserve it. "I'm sorry for hitting you, Gwendal, but - it isn't his fault!" He said brokenly.

"Yuuri…" Wolfram bit his lip. He knew striking Gwendal had hurt Yuuri in ways he could not fully comprehend. The dark-eyed boy was the gentlest person he had ever known. And the fact that Yuuri had done what he did on his behalf…he shuddered. Why? He winced as the pounding in his head increased. _No_, he told himself, _not now_.

Gwendal gazed at his king for a long moment.

"That may be so," he acknowledged finally. "But it doesn't change facts." His gaze moved to Conrad. "You know, don't you?"

The brown-haired commander met his gaze squarely. He nodded.

"Know what?" Yuuri demanded, dark foreboding making his insides tighten.

Gwendal kept silent, letting Conrad supply the answer.

Conrad took a bracing breath. "All full-blooded demons are bound to the element they summon, Heika." He said quietly. "It is a part of what they are. It is part of their life source." His gaze was heavy as they fell on his youngest brother. "If your magic has truly abandoned you, then you will gradually weaken. You will die."

_/You will die./_

Yuuri stared at the somber-faced swordsman, all color draining from his face. "You- you're not serious!"

"It's starting already." Gwendal pointed out grimly. "His strength is leaving him. He tires easily now. His reflexes are slowing down. It's only a matter of time before his body gives out." His gaze swept over them. "Günter found records during the war. Records that show full-blooded Mazoku who had been denied their magic with the use of esoteric stones gradually sickened and died."

Yuuri gaped at him. Gwendal would not lie about something like this. Not when it concerned his own brother's life. And he began recalling incidences in the last few days when Wolfram had indeed shown signs of tiredness. His recurring loss of appetite. His increasing passivity. He spun around to face Wolfram. "Is it true?"

But Wolfram could only shake his head, his brother's words reverberating in his mind. Die?

_Die?_

A burning shaft of pain knifed through his head, and he gasped sharply.

"Wolfram?" Genuine fear shot through Yuuri at the blonde's blanched features.

His panicked tone cut through the haze surrounding Wolfram, and the green-eyed knight forced a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Hei- Yuuri." It was another of the things Yuuri had insisted on. It was passing strange, the Maou had declared, to have someone sleeping in his bed calling him Heika.

But Yuuri could see the effort it was taking for Wolfram to stay in control. Sweat beaded the blonde's upper lip and the brilliant emerald orbs were hazy with fatigue.

_/ It's only a matter of time…/_

Cold fear gripped Yuuri's heart at the thought that he might lose his fiancé. That Wolfram might die.

"Wolfram…"

"I'm fine." Wolfram insisted. "I'm just –"

"-tired." Gwendal finished for him, his tone dark and grim.

"Enough." Amazingly, it was Conrad who stepped in. "I think we all need a little time to think on this."

Yuuri agreed, his gaze fixed worriedly on Wolfram. "Why don't you two go on ahead to the castle," he said, "Wolfram and I will be there in a while." He needed the others to leave so he could attend to Wolfram's migraine. "Go on, we'll be fine," he prodded when Gwendal hesitated.

Gwendal caught the telling look in Conrad's eyes and gave in. Wolfram _was _exhausted. He would not be able to try any more today. Tomorrow, he told himself, after his bratty brother had considered his situation, then they can try again.

Yuuri waited impatiently until the two were out of earshot before speaking urgently to his fiancé. "Are you okay?"

Wolfram swallowed and shook his head, even the slight movement jarring his brains painfully.

Yuuri saw a tree a short distance away. "Come on," he told his fiancé gently, "let's get you out of this heat."

Wolfram nodded mutely. Leaning heavily on Yuuri's arm, he walked carefully to the tree, concentrating on putting one foot before the other. The distance seemed interminable, every step he took echoing in his brain. But he made it – barely. Sinking to the ground with a heartfelt sigh, he closed his eyes and concentrated on getting his mind to stop spinning.

He started when cool hands settled on his temples, his eyes snapping open to stare at the Maou.

"Shhh, let me take care of this." Yuuri directed softly, focusing his magic to easing his fiance's pain.

Wolfram's eyes drifted shut, feeling his muscles relax as the drumming in his head gradually slowed and faded away. He sighed in blessed relief.

Yuuri's hands lowered, but his eyes remained glued to the serene expression on Wolfram's face. _I love you, _he sent out silently, even as he heartily cursed himself for not having realized it sooner. And now he was scared – no, terrified that he might never have the chance to say it to the blonde. Urgency rushed through him, a hot tide of yearning and desperate fear.

"I don't want you to die…" he whispered, his fear a live thing that twisted inside him.

Wolfram's eyes opened slowly. Reluctantly. He really didn't want to have this conversation right now. But he knew there was no good time to discuss the possibility of one's death.

"They may be wrong," he ventured, but his tone was uncertain. Gwendal would not have reacted so violently had he been less certain. And records don't lie.

"But what if they're right?" Yuuri asked in a trembling voice.

Wolfram took a deep breath. "Then I'll die." He tried to be philosophical about it. "It's okay, Yuuri. Everyone dies."

But Yuuri was already shaking his head violently. "No!"

"Yuuri – " Wolfram struggled to find the words. "It doesn't really matter. Don't you see? If I die you'll be free to find someone else to marry. And besides, you don't really need me. Gwendal and Conrad are much better suited to help you. "

"Shut up!" Yuuri was shaking. "How can you say it doesn't matter?" Tears welled in his eyes, streaked down his cheeks. "How can you even think about leaving me?"

"Yuuri…" Wolfram stared at the openly weeping king.

"I won't let you leave me!" Wolfram suddenly found himself enveloped in a tight embrace. "I won't let you leave me!"

Yuuri's grief shook Wolfram and instinctively he wrapped his arms around the shaking boy, the need to comfort the dark-haired king overriding all other concerns.

"It's okay, Yuuri." Wolfram whispered urgently. "I'm not going to leave you." He repeated the words over and over until the Maou's shaking had eased.

"Promise me." The words were muffled, but the plea for assurance rang clear. "Promise you'll do everything to get well again."

"I promise." Wolfram swore, putting everything he had behind the words. "I won't leave you, Yuuri. Not ever."

Yuuri drew back, his tear-drenched features flushed, his eyes reddened. "But how will you get your magic back?"

"I don't know yet." Wolfram's eyes slid away. It wasn't the complete truth. A sob escaped the king, and he hurried to assure him. "I'm doing everything I can, Yuuri." But the words sounded hollow even to himself.

Gwendal had been right, he realized. He had been holding back. He knew what he needed to do to regain his magic. But he hadn't wanted to.

That was his dilemma.

He needed his magic to live. However, to regain his magic was to regain his temper. And to lose Yuuri. He bit his lip.

But, in the first place, hadn't he resorted to the 'cure' to gain Yuuri's love? Reversing it now would undo all the sacrifice and gains he'd made!

And yet, to remain as he was now, he was doomed to lose Yuuri anyway.

What option was left? Wolfram shuddered under the weight of it all.

Suddenly, a hand slipped into his and squeezed. Wolfram started at the gesture, eyes flying down to their linked hands, then lifting to glance with mixed awe and bemusement at his fiancé. In spite of his own upset, Yuuri had sensed his sudden tension. Wolfram's eyes softened. Taking heart, Yuuri very gently sent soothing waves to the other boy, just to keep him relaxed and prevent the debilitating headache from setting in.

"Is your magic really gone?" He asked softly, valiantly tempering his own fears. The last thing Wolfram needed now was to deal with his issues as well as Yuuri's.

"Yuuri –" Wolfram took a deep breath. "What if – what if regaining my magic made me unreasonable again?"

"I wouldn't care." Yuuri replied promptly, not even having to think about it.

"You would." Wolfram countered knowingly.

"I wouldn't." Yuuri insisted, all traces of tears gone now. He was on sure ground. "Yeah, I might get annoyed and lose my temper and fight with you - but I'd get over it. It wouldn't change how I feel about you." He gazed at the blonde squarely.

Wolfram swallowed. "How – how do you feel about me?" He asked in a small voice, suddenly afraid to hear the answer.

The obsidian gaze softened. "Don't you know it yet?" Yuuri whispered. "Wolfram, I would rather be annoyed every day of my life than to have to live it without you." His voice caught. "I love you, Wolf."

Emerald eyes widened, transfixed by the confession. He shook his head dumbly, shock rendering him speechless, scattering all reason.

"I do." Yuuri said very definitely. "I love everything about you – your passion, your rage, your honesty, your loyalty. I love it all. I love YOU."

"But – but - you _hate _it when I rant at you!" Logic making a valiant attempt to regain some semblance of control.

"Just as you hate it when I do things you consider wimpy." Yuuri pointed out. "But that doesn't make you love me any less, does it?"

Wolfram started, almost recoiling from the king. But Yuuri held fast to his hand. He sensed that they were at the crossroads of their relationship. That anything he said or did now could make or break them – for good.

"I know you love me, Wolfram." Yuuri pressed on doggedly. "And I can't tell you how sorry I am that I was too stupid not to value it before. But I do love you. More than anything. I want you to know that."

Wolfram stared at their linked hands, feeling as though he was standing on the edge of a precipice. He closed his eyes, hope struggling with doubt, love with fear. To be offered something he yearned for with his very soul…he shuddered. It was almost too much to take in. To reach for.

If he takes it now and loses it later – his heart quailed.

Yuuri pressed their foreheads together, offering, without words, his entire heart.

_/Trust me./_

Wolfram shivered, sensing his fiance's warmth. His gentleness. His love.

Slowly, the emerald eyes opened. Lifted.

"There's something I have to tell you."

-o0o-


	7. Chapter 7

Fires Within 7

By: sagelibra

Pairing: Yuuram

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Hehe.

Note: Hi. Well, I guess this particular fic has reached the end of the line. (sighs) Just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful feedback and support I've received. They're a wonderful pair and I hope to write more about them in the near future. You've been a wonderful audience and I'm glad to have brightened your day. 

-o0o-

"How long have they been in there?"

Yuuri shrugged, the slight movement his only acknowledgement of his godfather's arrival. His gaze, however, moved not a whit from Gisela's door. "Half an hour, maybe." He mumbled uncertainly. In all honesty he'd lost track of the time. Reason told him it couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but it _felt_ like hours.

"I see." Conrad hunkered down beside the king, folding his long frame gracefully. He glanced at the worried boy. "I'm glad you were able to convince him to undo Gisela's hypnosis." He took a deep breath. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry, but losing his magic _would_ have killed him in the end."

"You _should_ have told me." Yuuri chided softly. "I know you want to protect me, you've been doing that all along, but I think it's time you stopped treating me like a child. If I'm going to be a good king I need to know everything, Conrad, the good _and_ the bad." He bit his lip. "I would never have forgiven you or myself if Wolfram had –" He shuddered, unable to finish the thought. It was too horrible to even contemplate.

Conrad nodded, accepting the gentle rebuke. "I understand."

Yuuri sighed after a moment's silence. "I don't deserve him." He said forlornly.

Conrad smiled. "I don't think we get to decide who deserves whom, Your Majesty."

But Yuuri shook his head. "Do you know how hard it was for him to accept that I love him? How hard it was to let me in again? I'd hurt him so many times, Conrad. I'd let him down so badly and yet," his voice fell to a whisper. "I was so scared that he wouldn't give me another chance, because…because in his shoes, I don't think I'd have had the courage to try again."

Conrad reached out to squeeze his arm comfortingly. "I disagree." He said quietly. "You have more courage than most people, Yuuri. Everything you've done to bring peace to our world proves that. Your courage wouldn't have failed you where your very heart was concerned."

Yuuri smiled wanly. "I'm just glad I won't have to find out."

Conrad cocked his head curiously. "Tell me – what if Gisela can't undo her hypnosis? Or if Wolfram had chosen to remain as he is, would you still love him?"

Yuuri blinked. Considered. Nodded. "It doesn't matter." He replied with certainty. "I'd love Wolfram whether he changed back or not."

Conrad nodded, satisfied. "Then everything he went through, every sacrifice and hurt – they were worth it." He eyed the king a trifle sternly. "Take care of him, Your Majesty." He said, rising to his feet. "You're my King, and there is nothing I would not do for you. But he _is_ my brother. It hasn't been easy seeing him upset these past months."

Yuuri tore his eyes away from the door long enough to gaze at his captain squarely. "I love Wolfram." The words were heartfelt. "More than anything. More than my own life."

Conrad grinned then, and as he strode away it was all he could do not to add a jaunty skip to his step. His brother was finally, finally getting the love he deserved.

Alone again, Yuuri eyed Gisela's door worriedly. Was there any chance at all that Gisela would be unable to undo her hypnosis? Yuuri frowned, his concern stemming, not from Wolfram's temperament or lack thereof, but rather on the necessity of Wolfram regaining the use of his magic.

It doesn't matter, he told himself as the doorknob turned and he scrambled to his feet. There was bound to be another healer capable of –

He never got to finish the thought, because at that moment the door opened and Wolfram was there. There. Yuuri's mouth went dry as the green eyes zeroed in on him.

"Wolfram?" Yuuri's voice was shaky, to say the least.

However, instead of speaking, Wolfram took his hand and all but dragged him to his room. Once there, Wolfram very deliberately locked the door. That done, he turned to the raven-haired king, who was eyeing him a little wildly.

"Did you mean it?" Wolfram demanded softly. "What you said out there – did you really mean it?"

Yuuri gazed at the almost feral gleam in the emerald eyes. "Yes." He whispered.

"You- you love me?" Wolfram's voice shook. It had been like a dream. A beautiful, wonderful dream, and he couldn't bear to have to wake up.

But he needed to know.

Yuuri raised his hand to caress one smooth cheek. "I love you, Wolfram. I think I have for a very long time now. I was just too stupid to realize it." He said softly, letting his love shine from his eyes.

"Wimp." Wolfram's voice was thick, choked up.

"Yeah." Yuuri agreed tenderly, his finger catching a tear. "But I'm your wimp."

Wolfram colored at the teasing tone, but his eyes flashed and he caught the king in a possessive embrace. "Don't you ever forget that." He warned sternly. "Because if I ever catch you flirting again , I swear I'm going to- "

Yuuri couldn't help it – he threw his head back and laughed. Loudly. Giddily. Joy filling his heart and soul and pouring out.

His love was back. His Wolfram really was back.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram's tone was chastising, but his heart was filled almost to bursting. Pulling away, he eyed his love mock-suspiciously. "Are you laughing at me? Because if you are - "

But Yuuri was done talking. There were other ways to prove his love, and Yuuri had waited too long already. So he shut him up. With his mouth.

Wolfram's eyes widened with shock as his brain registered that Yuuri was kissing him, his mouth at once soft and demanding, his arms gentle yet possessive. And when a warm, questing tongue slipped into his mouth, Wolfram yielded with a soft moan.

For his king he would surrender his life.

For his love he would surrender his heart.

-The End-


End file.
